The Best American Sports Writing 2012

Now an analyst for the ESPN cable network and the cohost, with Tony Kornheiser, of Pardon the Interruption, Michael Wilbon was named the country's top sports columnist in 2000 by the Society of Professional Journalists, during his 30-year career with the Washington Post. Here he presents 20 outstanding pieces that transcend their genre, including Paul Solotaroff and Rick Telander exploring the legacy of Super Bowl star Dave Duerson's suicide, Wright Thompson on "Why You Should Care About Cricket," and John Brant bringing to light the child abuse endured by Olympic Gold Medal runner Frank Shorter. Since its inception in 1915, the Best American series has become the premier annual showcase for the country's finest short fiction and nonfiction. For this title, as for each of the others, a series editor reviews hundreds of periodicals, then selects between 50 and 100 outstanding works. The guest editor—a recognized expert in the field—then pares the list down to the 20 or so very best pieces.